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Ms Grillo told the court the card was also used to buy essentials for the family, as her role involved housekeeping, shopping and cooking meals.

She said her relationship with her former employers went "beyond loyalty" and she did everything she could to please them.

"When something like this is happening, you don't stop loving them," she said.

"You're disappointed, but you don't stop loving them. I never stopped loving Charles or Nigella or the children."

Sharrine Scholtz said she feared being in the same situation as the Grillo sisters

Ms Grillo denied booking taxis on the family's account was a secret and said she was allowed to order one whenever she needed to.

The court also heard that Ms Grillo was responsible for giving money to the couple's children, which was often up to £80 to each child five days a week. She said it was common for the children to pay for their friends if they went out for dinner.

'Treat yourself'

Ms Lawson was "very appreciative" of Ms Grillo's loyalty and told her to "treat yourself" if she saw an item she liked, she told the court.

"She bought me presents, she let me get holidays, she paid for some of my holidays," Ms Grillo said.

The court heard that the former PA once bought herself a Chanel bag with her work credit card after Ms Lawson said that was "fine", as it was a thank you gift.

In her role managing the household Ms Grillo also withdrew money to pay cleaners, handymen and gardeners, which included cleaning the family's collection of silver at a cost of £400 twice a month.

The defendants are accused of spending £685,000 on credit cards belonging to the celebrity couple to buy designer goods and luxury holidays.

The defence argues Ms Lawson consented to the PAs spending as they were "intimately connected to her private life and were aware of the drug use which she wanted to keep from her then-husband Charles Saatchi".

Nigella Lawson has denied having a drugs problem.

'Career suicide'

Earlier another woman who worked for Mr Saatchi said she was "committing career suicide" by giving evidence in support of the PAs.

Sharrine Scholtz, a former financial assistant, said she had been accused of using a company taxi account without authorisation and forced to sign a gagging clause when she left her job.

Miss Scholtz told the court she was forced to leave her job and sign a compromise agreement after setting up her own gallery.

That's all from me and BBC Local Live today. I'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 for all the latest news, sport, travel and weather.

17:58:Dry with some cloud

Any remaining showers will die away during the evening to leave a largely dry night with variable cloud and clear spells. There could be some patchy frost in sheltered spots, with westerly winds easing a little by the morning. Minimum temperature: 3C (37F)

17:56:Royals welcome Mexican President

Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto and his wife Angelica Rivera have met the Queen and Prince Philip at the start of the three-day state visit. The visitors were shown items in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace.

Earlier, as Mr Pena Nieto and Ms Rivera arrived in Whitehall by car a royal salute of 41 guns was fired in nearby Green Park by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

17:53:Ed Balls: EU withdrawal 'disaster' for London

Pulling Britain out of the European Union would be a "disaster" for London, shadow chancellor Ed Balls has warned.

In a speech to business organisation London First, Mr Balls said: "Walking out of the EU would be a disaster for London. It would put our capital's future success at risk - costing us jobs and trade, investment and influence. Britain exiting the EU is now the biggest risk to London's prosperity in the coming years."

The pair were found dead by police at a property in Colville Square, Notting Hill at 20:00 on Friday. The woman, who is charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

17:45:Son pleads not guilty to father's murder

The son of a nightclub tycoon has appeared in court to deny murdering his father.

David West, 44, of Jermyn Street, near Piccadilly, entered a not guilty plea at the Old Bailey and was remanded in custody. The defendant's 70-year-old father, also called David West, was found stabbed to death at his home in Ormond Yard behind Jermyn Street, on 13 December.

17:42:Killed cyclist's family appeal for witnesses

The family of a 15-year-old cyclist stabbed to death broke down in tears today as they appealed for witnesses to come forward. Alan Cartwright was attacked on Caledonian Road in Islington, north London, on Friday.

Alan's mother Michelle Watson said: "It was so quick, he just carried on riding and two minutes up the road he is collapsed and dead. It's like it's not real. I would say to witnesses, if you've got any sort of conscience come forward because a brother and son is dead."

The Met Police is referring itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission over allegations of corruption regarding the investigation into the disappearance of an eight-year-boy on the day of the 1981 royal wedding.

In a statement, the Met said: "Met were made aware of a complaint alleging corruption relating to the Met Police's original missing person investigation into the disappearance of Vishal Mehrotra via the press.

"This complaint has been referred to the Met Police's Directorate of Professional Standards. This matter will shortly be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission."

17:22:Ben Kinsella's dad speaks out over Islington stabbingBBC London 94.9Radio

As the family of a 15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in a street attack appeal for witnesses, the father of another teenager who was killed in the same borough speaks to Eddie Nestor on BBC London 94.9.

The lawyers of a convicted Mafia boss who was ordered by a judge to return to Italy have lodged an appeal against his extradition.

Domenico Rancadore was arrested in August 2013 after he was found living in Uxbridge, west London, under the alias of Marc Skinner. Last month a judge ruled the 65-year-old, who has lived in London for more than 20 years, must be extradited to Italy.

17:05:Crossrail death had 'contributory factors'

BBC London's transport correspondent Tom Edwards tweeted that the jury at St Pancras Coroner's Court recorded a narrative verdict, but said Rene Tkacik's death while working was working on a Crossrail site in Holborn, in March 2014 had accidental contributory factors including:

His state of mind due to isolation and a lack of English

Different processes for concrete trimming were not consistent

The definition of the exclusion zone was unclear and changed from time to time with no physical demarcation.

From 'onesies' to wear in the air raid shelter to jewellery created from aeroplane parts, new exhibition Fashion on the Ration: 1940s Street Style looks at how fashion survived and even flourished under the rules of rationing in 1940s Britain.

The exhibition opens on Thursday at the Imperial War Museum London and you can book tickets now.

A Met Police officer, who was attached to Specialist Operations, has been dismissed after being found guilty of gross misconduct.

PC Annaleisa Gordon, 50, was found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour. In October 2013 Gordon was found guilty of a data protection offence after Southwark Crown Court heard she conducted searches on the MPS systems on her ex-husband.

The photograph was taken at Hornchurch Country Park in east London on yesterday afternoon. Mr Le-May said: "I heard a distressed squawking noise and feared the worst. I soon realised it was a woodpecker with some kind of small mammal on its back."

On the roads, two lanes are closed on the A13 Alfred's Way at the East Ham and Barking By-Pass eastbound between Beckton Roundabout and the Gascoigne Road junction, because of an accident and recovery work. There are queues to Canning Town Flyover and on A117 Woolwich Manor Way to the A1020 Royal Docks Road junction.

London Fire Brigade tweets: The fire in #Chessington is now under control with help from @surreyfrs.

The brigade added: Half of one house was damaged by the fire in #Chessington and the house next door was damaged by smoke. Thankfully, no injuries.

15:16:Tower Hamlets mayor followed law 'to the word'

A party led by a mayor accused of electoral fraud followed the law "to the word", a special High Court hearing has heard.

Four voters have taken legal action against Lutfur Rahman - independent mayor of Tower Hamlets, east London, and leader the Tower Hamlets First (THF) party - at an Election Court trial in London.

Alibor Choudhury, a THF member of Tower Hamlets Council, said: "We set up the party with the intention of it being temporary." He added: "We have followed the letter to the word so far." Mr Rahman denies wrongdoing.

The family of a 15-year-old cyclist stabbed to death in a street attack in North London broke down in tears today as they appealed for witnesses to come forward.

14:35:Area evacuated

Residents had to be evacuated from their homes after a two-storey house collapsed in Romford, the London Fire Brigade said.

Watch Manager Jason Frisby said: "The building fractured the incoming gas supply main when it came down, so eight people from neighbouring properties were evacuated and a temporary 50 metre exclusion zone has been put in place. As soon as the gas supply has been isolated, the exclusion zone will be lifted and residents will be able to return to their homes."

14:22:Romford house collapses

Firefighters have said builders working on a house which collapsed on Rodney Way, in Romford, were lucky to have not been injured.

The end of terrace property was under refurbishment when it completely collapsed at 06:20.

London Fire Brigade watch manager Jason Frisby said: "Fortunately, it was unoccupied at the time it collapsed and no-one was injured. Had it collapsed when the builders working on the house were inside, they may not have been quite so lucky.

A spokesman for UK Power Networks, which supplies power in the area, confirmed engineers are working to restore power to 150 properties, the newspaper said.

13:36:One-third miss first school choice in London

Almost a third of families in London did not get their first choice of secondary school, after places were allocated on National Offer Day. In London, 68% of applicants got their first preference, fewer than in the previous two years. The Department for Education says it has invested "more than £5bn to create more than 445,000 new school places".

Lambeth Council said 82% of applicants in the borough were offered a place at their first or second-choice school. Let us know your experiences - email london.locallive@bbc.co.uk

13:22:On airAlex BushillBBC London News

This lunchtime we have the CCTV footage released by the police of the moment a 15-year-old boy was stabbed in the chest as he cycled along the Caledonian Road in Islington.

Detectives say Alan Cartwright had no chance to defend himself and have appealed for witnesses. That and a full weather forecast just after 13:30.

13:04:News on the hourBBC London 94.9Radio

The top story at 13:00 on BBC London 94.9: Police have described as "truly shocking" CCTV footage of the moment a 15-year-old boy was stabbed as he cycled with friends along the Caledonian Road.

12:56:Barnet care home 'failing' to provide care

Barnet Supported Living Services in Barnet, north London, has been warned it must make improvements or face further enforcement action by the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England.

During an unannounced Care Quality Commission inspection in August 2014, inspectors found they were failing to provide care which was safe, effective, responsive or well led. The report found there were issues around how some medicines were stored and recorded and infection control related to personal care.

12:46:WOW festival

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend a festival celebrating the achievement of women and girls at the Southbank Centre this week.

The Women of the World or WOW festival will feature a headline bill of speakers including Labour Party deputy leader Harriet Harman, director of rights group Liberty Shami Chakrabarti, singer-turned-activist Annie Lennox, actress and women's rights campaigner Salma Hayek Pinault and author Caitlin Moran.

Sir Simon said it was "a very obvious step - the idea of coming home and having a position in this fantastic city". He is currently director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, where he has been since 2002 and has three years left on his contract.

12:25:Free football coaching

Wandsworth Council tweets: Young people on Surrey Lane estate offered free football coaching sessions on brand new £30k floodlit astroturf pitch http://goo.gl/UlKspz

12:15:Ladybirds and Lennie JamesBBC London 94.9Radio

On BBC London 94.9, Robert Elms is discussing Ladybirds - not the insects the books. He will be joined by the author of the new book Ladybird by Design, written by Prof Lawrence Zeegan.

Also on the programme is the actor Lennie James who will be talking about his new Sky 1 show Critical.

12:05:Terry hopes to go out 'on a bang'BBC Sport

John Terry insists he has "a few years left" at Chelsea and says he will not play for another club. The Blues captain, whose contract is up at the end of the season, scored the opener in Sunday's 2-0 Capital One Cup final win over Tottenham at Wembley.

"If this is my last year, then I hope it goes out on a bang," said Terry. "But I am feeling great at the minute and it would be the wrong time to go."

Special funeral preparations are underway in Hayes including an extra long coffin and large burial plot for the UK's former tallest man, reports the News Shopper.

Christopher Greener, who was 7ft 6ins and weighed up to 30 stone, died earlier this month, aged 71, the newspaper said.

10:08:Politics: What's love got to do with it?Fergal KeaneBBC News

In the East End of London, I meet 97-year-old Beatty Orwell at Jewish Care's Stepney Community Centre. Beatty was born in 1917, the year before women first won the right to vote in a general election, and she cherishes her democratic freedom. I ask her what she thinks about those who say they have no interest in politics and don't want to vote.

"Makes me sick, makes me sick because they should learn history, what went on and what's going on." If you missed Panorama's first programme as part of a new four-part Panorama series - 'What Britain Wants'.

Police have described as "truly shocking" CCTV footage of the moment a 15-year-old boy was stabbed as he cycled with friends along the Caledonian Road.

Scotland Yard's sought to play down figures obtained by BBC London that show over the last two years nearly 50 police officers and 26 members of civilian staff have been suspended for alleged corruption.

The CCTV of the fatal stabbing shows Alan Cartwright and his two friends being attacked and pushed off their bikes by three youths.

Det Ch Insp Chris Jones said: "Alan stood no chance of defending himself against his attacker who casually stepped out in front of him and stabbed him in the chest. Identifying and arresting the suspects is our absolute priority."

There will be scattered showers around at first this morning, but they will be mostly light. The showers will die out this afternoon with more in the way of sunny spells, though it's still going to feel cold out in the brisk winds.

Highs of 9C (48F).

08:00:Elaine OkyereBBC London News

Morning! I'm here until 18:00 bringing you all the latest news, sport, weather and travel for London.

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